This present invention relates, generally, to gaming devices and, more particularly, relates to more flexible pay table schedules and subsystems for gaming machines.
In the recent past, gaming machines have become increasingly sophisticated. The once traditional mechanically-driven reel slot machines are often replaced with electronic counterparts having CRT video displays or the like. Moreover, these video/electronic gaming advancements enable the operation of more complex gambling games which would not otherwise be possible on mechanical-driven gambling machines. Such stand alone video electronic games include Keno, Blackjack, Poker, Pai Gow, and all the variations thereof.
More recently, multiple game platforms have been developed which provide access to multiple electronic games through a single stand alone gaming machine, such as International Game Technology""s (IGT) xe2x80x9cGame King Machinexe2x80x9d. These games are usually stored in Erasable, Programmable, Read-Only Memory (EPROM) chip sets which are then incorporated into compatible gaming machines for operation thereof. A game selection menu may be provided on the video display which offers the patron the choice of one or more video/electronic games. The gaming patron, thus, may select a gambling game of their choice without having to search the gaming establishment for the location of a desired game.
Not only have the games increased in sophistication, but so have the methodologies and schemes employed to award a winning gaming patron. As with a substantial majority of the gambling games and gaming devices, if not all, the gaming patron has the option of proportionately increasing their wager with the potential of increasing their pay schedule. However, various techniques are currently employed to further encourage the gaming patron to maximize their wager by offering a bonus pay table schedule based upon the number of coins bet.
As shown in the Bonus Schedule Table of FIG. 1, two exemplary pay table schemes are provided, both schedules of which may be incorporated in any gaming machine. Pay Table A represents a two-tiered scheme in which the gaming patron is eligible for a maximum bonus pay schedule when they wager the maximum number of coins bet on a single game, a number predetermined by the gaming operator.
This concept may best be illustrated in Pay Table A of FIG. 2 in which a five (5) coin maximum bet amount is established. Upon a gaming patron wagering a 1 to 4 coin bet, a potential pay schedule of 250 coins per coin bet is scheduled. Hence, a one (1) coin wager will yield a 1xc3x97250 or 250 coin award, while a four (4) coin wager will yield a 4xc3x97250 or 1000 coin award, etc. However, should the gaming patron elect to be eligible for the maximum bonus pay schedule (i.e., 800 coins per coin bet), they were required to bet the maximum amount of coins accepted by the gaming machine (i.e., a five (5) coin wager). Upon wagering a fifth coin, the maximum bonus pay schedule of 800 coins per coin bet in Pay Table A is commenced which will yield a 5xc3x97800 or 4000 coin award.
In contrast, in the maximum bonus pay schedule of Pay Table B, a multi-tiered pay table scheme is devised which is increasingly graduated to further encourage increased wagering. In this scheme, the number of coins wagered which amount to less than a preset maximum coin bet provide a pay table of: 250 coins per coin bet from 1 to 4 coins bet; 300 coins per coin bet from 5 to 9 coins bet; 350 coins per coin bet from 10 to 19 coins bet; . . . ; 700 coins per coin bet from 75 to 99 coins bet. Upon the maximum coin being bet, E.g., the 100th coin, a maximum bonus pay schedule of 800 coins per coin bet is awarded which amounts to a 100xc3x97800 or 80,000 coin award.
One problem associated with these present pay table arrangements is that they are relatively inflexible to encourage additional wagering. Under the current schemes and associated subsystems, a gaming operator may select the maximum number of coins wagered, but may not select when the maximum bonus pay schedule is to commence independent of the maximum number of coins wager. Therefore, the gaming patron is only eligible for the maximum bonus pay schedule when they wager the maximum coin wager. The maximum bonus pay schedule thus only occurs upon betting the maximum coin wager. In some instances, therefore, attempts to customize the wagering may actually reduce the patron incentive to increase their wager, rather than increase their incentive.
This may best be exemplified in the tables of FIG. 2. In the first column of the Schedules A and B, for example, a gaming operator may initially select the maximum coin bet at five (5) coins. Therefore, for coins 1 to 4 wagered by the gaming patron, an award of 250 coins per coin wagered may be achieved, while the maximum bonus (i.e., at 800 coins per coin bet) will not become effective until the fifth coin is bet by the gaming patron. However, should the gaming operator later select a maximum coin bet at 20 coins (col. 2 of the table in FIG. 2), then the maximum bonus pay schedule (i.e., at 800 coins per coin bet) will not become effective until and will automatically commence on the 20th coin wagered by the gaming patron. In contrast, the remaining wagered coins from 1 to 19 coins correspond to a 250 coins per coin bet in Pay Table A, while in Pay Table B, 5 to 9 coins correspond to a 300 coins per coin bet, and 10 to 19 coins correspond to a 350 coins per coin bet.
Accordingly, while the 5th coin waged in the 5 coin maximum wager game yielded a potential award of 800 coins per coin bet, the 5th coin waged in the newly configured 20 coin maximum wager game now only yields 250 coins per coin bet for Pay Table A and 300 coins per coin bet for Pay Table B. To achieve an 800 coins per coin bet would not require a maximum wager of 20 coins. It is this inflexibility which may be problematic since customers frequenting the gaming machine with a previous 5 coin maximum wager schedule may be reluctant to utilize the gaming machines with the reconfigured 20 coin maximum wager schedules.
In addition, should a significant alteration in the Pay Table Schedule be requested, as above indicated, a new EPROM chip set incorporating the new scheme would have to be installed in the gaming machine. This inefficient method to alter the payscale may increase the gaming machine downtime (i.e., during installation), as well as cause higher operating costs for the gaming operator. The costs for the machine manufacturer or game vendor are also increased since they must supply several different EPROM chip sets having different combinations of pay table schedules.
This is a serious concern for gaming machine manufacturers and gaming vendors alike. Accordingly, in view of the above observations, it would be desirable to provide a multiple game platform gaming machine which can easily enable the gaming machine manufacturer or vendor to more flexibly control the pay table schemes of the selected games.
The present invention provides a subsystem and method for paying awards in a gaming machine including configuring the gaming machine to have a plurality of discrete Bet Values (BV) available to a game user and a plurality of associated pay table awards which vary with the bet value wagered, wherein a discrete bonus Bet Value (BVbonus), which commences a maximum bonus pay schedule (Xbonus), may be adjustably selected from at least two of the discrete bet values.
In one embodiment, the configuring the gaming machine further includes inputting the maximum Bet Value (BVmax) independently from inputting the bonus Bet Value (BVbonus) which may be performed by a gaming operator. BVbonus is the lowest bet value allowing the maximum payout award.
In another aspect of the present invention, a subsystem for paying awards in a gaming machine is provided including either discrete Bet Circuitry or general circuitry programmed with specific bet software (collectively referred to as a xe2x80x9cBet Modulexe2x80x9d) adapted to configure the gaming machine to have a plurality of discrete Bet Values (BV) available to a game user. Pay Table Module Circuitry or general circuitry programmed with specific pay table software (collectively referred to as a xe2x80x9cPay Table Modulexe2x80x9d), is further included which is configured to provide a plurality of associated payout awards which vary with the bet value wagered. A discrete bonus Bet Value (BVbonus), which commences a maximum bonus pay schedule (Xbonus), may be adjustably selected from at least two of the discrete bet values.
The Bet Module may include a discrete bonus Bet Value (BV) adapted to commence the maximum payout award when the game user reaches the bonus Bet Value (BVmax). Further the Bet Module may include a discrete maximum Bet Value (BVmax) configured to limit the bet value, where the bonus BVbonus is less than or equal to the maximum BVmax.
In another aspect, the associated payout awards are provided by a first pay table schedule corresponding to BVs less than the bonus BVbonus, and a second pay table schedule corresponding to BVs ranging from the bonus BVbonus to the maximum BVmax. The associated payout award and the maximum payout award may be based upon multiples of the bet value.
In another embodiment, the bet values are based upon coin denominations, and the associated payout award and the maximum payout award are also based upon coin multiples of the coin denomination.
In yet another embodiment, a subsystem for paying awards in a gaming machine including a maximum Bet Module adapted to selectively set a maximum dollar amount bet on a game based upon a discrete maximum Bet Value (BVmax) of a plurality of discrete Bet Values (BV) ranging from BV1 to BVmax bet by a game user during a single game. BVmax is to be independently selected by a gaming operator. The general Pay Table Module is also provided which is adapted to award a general payout (Pgeneral) upon the game user attaining predetermined parameters during a single game. The general payout is determined by an equation of:
Pgeneral=(Ygeneral)(BVbet),
when the Bet Value of the game user (BVbet) for a single game is such that BVbet less than BVbonus. BVbonus is be independently adjustable and selected by the gaming operator, and where BV1 less than BVbonus less than BVmax. Further, Ygeneral is the general pay schedule awarded per BVbet. This present embodiment further includes a maximum bonus Pay Table Module adapted to selectively and independently adjust the BVbonus at which the maximum bonus pay schedule (Xbonus) commences. The maximum bonus payout is then determined by the equation of:
Pbonus=(Xbonus) (BVbet),
when the BVbet is in the range of BVbonusxe2x89xa6BVbetxe2x89xa6BVmax. As mentioned, Xbonus is the maximum bonus pay schedule awarded per BVbet, and Xbonus greater than Ygeneral.
Xbonus and Ygeneral are preferably based upon multiples of BV. Ygeneral is preferably increasingly graduated relative the increasing BVbet bet by the game user, and the BVs are provided by coin denominations.